The Last Year
by PrettyFacesWithBrokenEyes
Summary: This story goes through an entire year of Jade battling cancer. Major Bade relationship and Cade friendship. Also lots of Bat friendship and other friendships. Complete.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter One **

October 7th, 2011. That's a day Beck Oliver and Jade West would never forget. Jade had been getting several bruises in unusual places over the past couple weeks. So Beck took her to the doctor's office, where she was sent to the hospital. One of the doctors there described her symptoms as very serious. So they did some tests on her.

Cancer. That's the only thing that was going through Beck's mind at that moment. "Cancer," said the doctor. "You have cancer."

"W-what kind of cancer?" Beck stammered.

"Leukemia," The doctor looked at them sympathetically. Jade looked at Beck then at the doctor. She tried to speak but could only repeat the word silently.

"No!" Beck yelled. "This can't be happening!"

"Mr. Oliver, calm down and-" The doctor tried.

"There's got to be some mistake!" Beck continued. "Are you sure it's not something else?"

"I… I'm sure," The man said softly. Beck leaned back in the chair and squeezed Jade's hand.

"Well… what now?" Jade bit back tears.

"We're going to have to give you chemotherapy." Jade nodded and looked down. She knew what chemotherapy was. She would lose her hair. She would lose so much more than that, though.

**A/N: Super short beginning, I know. But it gets better! :)**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two **

"Y-you have… cancer?" A certain little redhead asked Jade in a tiny voice. Jade nodded.

"Yes… but everything will be alright," Jade said. "I… I'm going to be okay." Beck looked down, knowing full well that they couldn't let Cat know the truth.

"I don't want you to be sick, Jadey!" Cat yelled. She began crying into Robbie's shoulder. Everyone was silent, except for Cat's quiet sobs. Beck ran his fingers through his hair and sighed.

"It'll be okay, Cat," He said softly. His heart was breaking; all of their hearts were. But they knew they couldn't act like it in front of Cat.

"Hey Lil' Red," Andre spoke up. "How about we go on a picnic tomorrow?" Cat looked up at him.

"All of us?" Andre nodded and gave the best smile he could manage. Cat sat up and wiped her eyes.

"O-okay…" She said a little bit more enthusiastically. "B-but wait. My mom and dad are out of town this weekend."

"You can spend the night at my house tonight, Cat," Tori offered. Cat smiled weakly and nodded.

That night was hard for Tori. Cat kept having nightmares. She woke up screaming every time about Jade dying. Tori could only rock her in her lap and try her best to console the poor girl. She knew this could only get worse for all of them.

**A/N: Okay, so, I can't even tell you how many stories involving cancer that I've read that are inaccurate. And I think you'd like to know that I have done my research on leukemia, so this story will be pretty accurate. :)**


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three **

"Ew! Ants!" Cat complained.

"It's okay," Robbie patted her shoulder. "They won't hurt you." Cat scrunched up her nose in disgust.

"But they'll eat all our food!" She whined. Beck chuckled and put his arm around Jade.

"So, Cat, Tori," He said. "Did you make us some good food?" Cat sat up on her knees with wide eyes.

"Oh yes!" She said excitedly. "We made peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, and applesauce, and brownies!" Andre smiled and ruffled Cat's hair affectionately.

"Good job, Lil' Red," He told her. Cat giggled and began digging in the picnic basket, tossing out food for everyone.

When everyone was finished, Cat stood up and attempted to pull Robbie up too. "Robbie! Give me a piggyback ride!" She pleaded.

"Why don't you ask Beck?" Robbie suggested. "My back is still sore from last time." They all laughed at the memory.

"Beck," Cat turned to the fluffy haired boy. "Will you give me one?"

"Sure." He stood up and bent down so Cat could climb on his back. He stood up straight and trotted around with the little redhead holding on tightly to his neck, squealing the entire time. Jade, along with the rest of the group, smiled.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four **

Within days, Jade began doing the chemotherapy. She had to go in weekly to get the injections. It made her tired and nauseous often. Beck did his best to help her in any way he could. Some nights she would burst into tears, like one night when they were watching a movie together at Jade's house. "Shh, baby, shh," Beck soothed as he wrapped his arms around her.

"Why me, Beck?" She sobbed. "Why me?" Beck squeezed her tightly and kissed her temple.

"I don't know, sweetie. I don't know why." Jade continued to soak his red shirt in tears. Beck stroked her black hair that he knew wouldn't be there much longer. Suddenly Jade stood up and clutched her stomach. She ran to the bathroom and Beck instantly knew what was happening. She was vomiting again. He slowly approached the bathroom door. His eyes filled with tears at the sight of his girlfriend bent over the toilet, throwing up over and over again. He would give anything to take the pain away from her.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five **

Beck got out of his truck and headed to his RV. Before he could reach the door, he heard a shrill scream from inside. He immediately flung open the door and entered the mobile home. What he saw was his girlfriend sitting on the floor with a clump of black hair tangled in her fingers. "M-m-m-my hair…" She stared wide eyed at it. Beck's heart broke as she started crying. "I-it's gone… It's gone!"

"Jade… Jade, it's okay, baby," Beck walked towards the girl. She looked up at him.

"No it's not, Beck!" She screamed. "My hair's gone! And it's all because of this stupid cancer!" She punched the floor and Beck sat on his knees next to her. He pulled her up against him and rested his cheek on her head.

"Shh," He spoke softly to her. "It's gonna be alright. You're still just as beautiful as always." She let out loud, heartbreaking sobs into his chest and clutched him tightly. Beck didn't even care that her black fingernails were digging into his skin. Suddenly, he stood up, left her on the floor, and walked out of the RV. Jade just sat there, wondering where he was headed to.

Beck marched into his parents' house and went straight up to his dad's bathroom. He grabbed the electric razor from underneath the sink and plugged it into the wall. Slowly, he began getting rid of his beautiful, luscious hair. After his head was completely shaved, he headed back to the RV.

"What the hell did you do?!" Jade gasped when she saw Beck's perfectly bald head.

"I'm not gonna let you go through this alone," He looked down at her seriously. Jade smiled a little through her tears and stood up to hug her wonderful boyfriend.

"You're still just as hot as always," She whispered. Beck grinned and kissed her pretty little head.

**A/N: Aww! Review please. :)**


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Five **

One day, Tori brought Cat over to visit with Jade. Beck was spending the day with his stepdad golfing. Jade paused her movie and walked to the ringing door. She heard familiar giggling from the other side and instantly knew who it was. "Hiii!" Cat sang as the door opened.

"Hi Cat," Jade put on her best smile, despite how exhausted she was. She received a confused look from the redhead. Finally, Cat broke out in a loud giggle.

"Jadey!" She squealed, pointing to the pale girl's head. "You're wearing a bald cap!" Tori looked at Jade as if to ask what they should do.

"Cat," Jade said. "Come inside." She led Cat to the couch, where she sat down facing the girl. Tori stood by the couch biting her lip. "Cat, I have to tell you something."

"Whaty?"

"This," Jade pointed to her shiny head. "This isn't a bald cap." Cat looked even more confused.

"Then what is it?"

"I-I'm bald, Cat," Jade took Cat's small hand in her own. "The medicine I take causes me to not have hair anymore." Cat looked down and registered what she had been told.

"W-will it grow back soon?" She asked hopefully. Jade shook her head and bit back the tears she knew she couldn't release. The little girl in front of her was already having a hard time with the general situation at hand. Jade hated to give her more heartbreaking news. Cat's eyes began to tear up.

"Cat, it's okay," Tori said softly. "Don't cry." Cat stood up.

"No it's not!" She yelled. "It's not okay! Jadey's sick and it's not fair!" She fell into Jade, who wrapped her arms around the poor girl.

"Shh," Jade rocked her on her lap. She was at a loss for words. What could she tell her to make it better? Tori let a tear roll down her cheek as she listened to Cat's sobs. After that Jade wore a black bandana on her head most of the time.

**A/N: By the way, this story will have Cat being pretty childish, unlike the Cat in Never Let Go. And there's gonna be a lot more Cade friendship that I personally adore. Review! :)**


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven **

Thanksgiving was spent at Tori's house. Her parents had to go out of town for a couple days and left Tori with enough money to prepare an amazing feast for her and her friends. "Cat, stop blowing bubbles in your milk," Jade scolded. Cat sighed and pouted.

"I wanted soda like you guys!"

"You can't have caffeine this late, Red," Andre told her.

"Can I have dessert?" She asked hopefully.

"Sure you can," Tori smiled, knowing that the pie she bought was sugar-free. Cat squealed and clapped her hands.

"Yay!"

Thirty minutes later, they were playing cards. Cat rubbed her stomach and moaned. "I'm so full!" She whined. She had eaten a lot of food for being such a small girl.

"Why don't you go lie down and let your stomach settle?" Robbie suggested. Cat nodded and went to lie down on Tori's couch. She was asleep in no time. The rest of them quit playing cards around 10:00.

"Well," Beck sighed standing up. "This was really fun." Everyone nodded and smiled.

"We better get going, babe," Jade said.

"Yeah, me too," Robbie agreed. "Thanks for the meal, Tori." Robbie hugged the brunette and grabbed his jacket.

"No problem," Tori smiled. They all hugged and headed to the door.

"Wait," Andre said. "What about Cat?" They all looked at the sleeping redhead. Beck leaned down to wake up her.

"Don't wake her up," Jade told him.

"Tori, can she spend the night here?" Beck asked.

"I wish she could. But I have to take Trina to a dentist's appointment tomorrow thanks to her losing her license," Tori said. "I don't have time to take care of Cat." Beck sighed and looked at Jade.

"Okay, let's just take her to my place," Jade said, pointing to the girl curled up on the couch. "Carry her to the car, Beck." Beck picked up the lightweight redhead gently. She stirred a bit and laid her head on his shoulder without waking up. He carried her to Jade's car and they left the Vega residence.

**A/N: I'm gonna start updating when I reach a certain number of reviews. So I'll upload Chapter Eight when I get 3+ reviews on this chapter. :)**


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter Eight**

Cat woke up in Jade's bed the next morning. She rolled over to see if her friend was awake yet, but Jade was gone. She heard groaning sounds coming from outside of the room. The redhead slowly slid out of the bed and went to check. She gasped when she saw her older friend hunched over the toilet hacking violently. There was blood coming out of her mouth with every cough. "Jade?" Cat said quietly. Jade looked at her with tired eyes.

"Cat," She said. "I need you to…" She coughed again. "I need you to call someone." Cat just stared at her in horror. "Can you do that for me, Cat?" Jade began coughing up gore again. "Cat!" She yelled. Finally, Cat nodded and ran to back to the bedroom. She grabbed her phone and dialed Tori's number. Why Tori? Because Beck was with Andre and Robbie in San Diego, and Cat was too scared to call 911.

"Hey, Cat," Tori greeted when she picked up.

"T-Tori?" Cat stammered.

"Cat," Tori noticed the fear in her voice. "What's wrong? Are you okay?"

"Uh huh, but Jade's n-not…"

"What happened?"

"H-help," Cat begged.

"Don't worry, Cat," The Latina girl spoke calmly. "I'm coming over right now." She hung up, leaving Cat to sit there and wait.

Within five minutes Tori was in the West house running up the stairs. "Cat?" She hollered. "Jade?"

"I-in here, Vega," Jade's voice was almost too quiet to hear. Tori entered the bathroom to see Jade leaning against the bathroom wall by the toilet. Cat came behind Tori with tears streaming down her face.

"Jade, are you okay?" Tori asked.

"Yeah… I was just having a coughing fit. That's all…" Jade said tiredly.

"There was blood, Tori," Cat tugged on her the brunette's arm. "A lot of it."

"Should I call Beck or an ambulance?" Tori was still worried. "Should I take you to the hospital?"

"No, I'm fine, Tori," Jade assured her. "Thanks for coming, though." She looked over at Cat who was standing close to Tori. "And thank you, Cat." Cat smiled shyly and went to hug Jade. Jade held the girl tightly and kissed her red hair. "You're really brave, you know that?" She told her.

"No, you're brave, Jadey," Cat said. Jade smiled and stroked her hair.

**A/N: I'll update when I get 3+ reviews on this chapter. :)**


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter Nine **

Jade opened her front door to find none other than Tori Vega on her porch. "Hi, Jade," The Latina greeted.

"Oh, hi, Vega," Jade forced a smile. She was exhausted and didn't feel like seeing Tori right then. Tori just smiled nicely, despite the fact that she had come to try and build a better friendship with Jade and wished the Goth girl would call her by her first name. "Come in," Jade motioned inside her house.

Tori sat down on the couch cautiously and watched as Jade walked to the kitchen. "Do you want anything?" Jade asked politely.

"No thanks, I'm fine," Tori answered. Jade came back with a cup of fresh coffee and sat down on the couch next to Tori.

"So…" Jade began to feel a bit awkward. "Any reason you're here?" She immediately regretted asking it when she saw Tori's face become a little sad.

"Um," Tori began. "I was just thinking maybe we could… you know, hang out?" Jade nodded and smiled a little.

"Yeah, that… that sounds good."

"So, how have you been?" Tori said hoping to start a good conversation.

"I've been good," Jade lied. She never wanted to admit that she wasn't as tough as she appeared, especially to Tori. Tori responded as if she read the other girl's mind.

"You don't have to say that, Jade. I know it must be hard," She said softly. "I mean, I don't really know. But I'd imagine so." Jade just nodded and bit back tears.

"Well," She said. "You're right, it isn't easy. I'm just… trying."

"I just thought maybe it was time to have a better relationship," Tori spoke. "I hoped maybe you wouldn't hate that idea." Jade gave her a warm smile in return.

"You know," Jade said. "I never really _hated_ you." Tori laughed quietly.

"Really?"

"Well, yeah. I mean, I guess I was just always being immature. And I did stupid things. I'm sorry, though. And I'd like to be friends with you, Tori. I would, really." Jade's eyes brimmed with tears. Tori just smiled and hugged her new friend.

**A/N: Jorriiii. xD I love their dynamic on the show. 3+ reviews till Chapter Ten! :)**


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter Ten **

Autumn went by and soon enough it was Christmastime. Cat's favorite holiday was Christmas, and the gang wanted to make it special for her. She was like the little kid of the group, the one that needed to be taken care of. They all went Christmas Caroling on Christmas Eve in several different neighborhoods together, which turned out to be quite fun.

Then they all spent the night at Tori's house. Jade, Tori and Cat slept in Tori's room, while the boys slept in the guest room. They had a difficult time getting Cat to fall sleep because she was so excited about "Santa" and had been given one too many candy canes. When she finally dozed off, the rest of them went downstairs and put out the presents.

Beck remembered the special present Cat had thought to buy Jade. He set it in a special place under the big Christmas tree, making sure Jade couldn't see. "Should I make cinnamon rolls for breakfast tomorrow?" Tori asked.

"Sure, why not?" Andre said. "It is Christmas after all." When they had gotten everything ready, they all went back to bed and fell asleep.

Cat woke up promptly at 5:00 a.m. on Christmas Morning. She immediately started to shake Tori and Jade awake. "Tori!" She whined. "Jade! Get up! It's Christmas!" Finally, the girls began to stir.

"What is it, Cat?" Tori said tiredly.

"It's Christmas Morning, that's what!" The redhead told her.

"Oh yeah, I forgot," Tori joked and nudged Jade.

"What time is it?" The pale girl groaned.

"Present time!" Cat squealed. "Now get up, Jadey!" She started to shake her friend.

"Okay, fine. I'm up, Cat, I'm up," Jade gave in and slid out of the bed. Cat ran to the next room while Jade and Tori found their slippers. Finally, Cat had all of her tired friends rounded up in the hallway. They followed the excited redhead down the stairs to the room filled with presents.

"Ooh! Look!" Cat began jumping up and down pointing at the presents.

"Well, go ahead, Lil' Red," Andre encouraged her. "Open 'em." In seconds, Cat was tearing up the presents marked with her name. They all smiled as she beamed when she found things inside that she had asked for.

"Oh my gosh!" She yelped as she pulled out a giraffe twice the size of Mr. Longneck. "I love this!" She squealed and hugged the gift tightly. She looked at the tag to find Jade's name. "Jadey! You got me this?" Jade nodded and grinned at the happy girl. "Thank you so much!" Cat stood up and almost tackled Jade with a hug. Jade hugged back with an extremely happy face.

"Cat, didn't you get Jade something special?" Tori asked.

"Oh, yeah!" Cat pulled back with wide eyes. "Look what I got you, Jadey!" She took the bag that Tori had ready and handed it to Jade excitedly. Jade chuckled at Cat's doodles on the bag and began to open it. She gasped as she pulled out the tissue paper to find a black wig with green highlights just like her old hair used to have.

"Cat," She looked at the redhead, who was smiling ear to ear. "You got this for me?" The little girl nodded.

"Uh huh. Well, actually I didn't have enough money in my piggy bank to pay all of it. So, Robbie gave me some money to pay the rest," She admitted.

"But, it was Cat's idea," Andre spoke up. Jade smiled at Cat and embraced her.

"I love it," The older girl whispered into the redhead's ear. Cat smiled and leaned contently against Jade's shoulder. They finished opening all the presents and then ate cinnamon rolls in the kitchen. Everyone agreed that it was the best Christmas they could've had.

**A/N: Longer chapter here. Like it? 3+ reviews on THIS CHAPTER for update. Love you guys so much! :)**


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter Eleven **

Jade went to the hospital shortly after Christmas and spent most of January there. Her blood count had to be high enough before she could go home again. Beck helped her find things to do to encourage herself, but it was still tough. She finally was able to go home a few weeks before February. She was more tired than ever though.

"Baby, do you wanna do something?" Beck asked one day, determined to cheer his girlfriend up.

"I don't know," She responded. "What would we do?"

"Well, I just wanted to do something for you to feel better, babe." Jade thought back to the last real date she went on with Beck. It seemed like forever ago. Then she thought about their most memorable date.

They had gone to the beach alone, and had been having fun until a little mishap occurred. There was a dolphin in the water and Beck encouraged Jade to get closer it. She agreed and was actually excited, though she wouldn't admit it. She got closer with Beck not far behind, and reached out towards it.

However, before her finger could feel its smooth skin, the dolphin had somewhat of a freak out moment. It began flipping around, almost slapping Jade with its tail. Jade was scared out of her mind and began screaming at Beck about his "stupid idea" while he laughed uncontrollably. She ordered him to take her home, and he complied. Beck tried to calm her down on the way home, but that wasn't needed because she was secretly grinning as she looked out the window.

Jade smiled at the memory. She remembered how she used to love arguing with Beck over dumb things. She loved the way he laughed at little mistakes while she clenched her teeth in anger. "I wanna go to the beach," She said softly. Beck looked at her in surprise.

"I thought you didn't like the ocean?" He asked. She just looked at him. "It's January, babe."

"Just take me to the beach," She told him. Beck nodded and led her to his truck. They drove to the beach that was almost deserted except for a few fishers and joggers. Beck parked in the sandy lot and got out. He opened his girlfriend's door and she just sat there.

"Aren't you coming?" He asked.

"Carry me?" She pleaded. He chuckled and picked her up out of the passenger seat. He carried her bridal style to the shoreline.

"You don't wanna go in do you?" He looked at the girl in his arms. She nodded. He gave her a confused look, then shrugged and proceeded to step into the cold water. He didn't know why she wanted to come to the beach during winter and go into the ocean, but he knew that if it made her happy, it made him happy.

He stood there ankle deep in the water holding his girlfriend, while completely ignoring the biting cold. He looked down at Jade who was resting her head on his chest, smiling softly. He made the smile bigger by kissing her. She snuggled into him more and hugged his neck tightly.

**A/N: One of my favorite chapters, personally.** **4+ reviews till update. :)**


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter Twelve  
**

"Yay!" Cat squealed. "A whole day named after me!"

"Valentine's day isn't named after you, Red," Andre chuckled. "You're named after it." Cat gasped.

"But I thought it was!" She pouted. Beck ruffled her hair and smiled.

"It's okay, Cat," He comforted her. "It's a day of love, and we all love you."

"Really?" The redhead looked at him with wide eyes.

"Aw, Cat," Tori cooed. "Of course we do." With that, Cat squealed happily and cuddled into Beck, who rubbed her shoulder.

"So, are we gonna do something or what?" Andre spoke up.

"Yeah, you guys wanna go to lunch?" Robbie suggested. Everyone agreed and they ended up going to Nozu's.

"I don't like sushi anymore," Cat complained.

"Why's that?" Jade asked. Cat used to love sushi, thanks to Jade.

"Because," Cat whined. "It's dead fishies!" Everyone gave her a confused look.

"So?" Tori said. "Hamburgers are made from cows and you love those." Cat looked horrified.

"Really?!" She gasped. Tori nodded slowly. Cat sighed and shrugged. "Oh well." She ate her sushi happily. A few minutes later, Andre gently hit his glass with his spoon.

"I'm gonna do a toast, y'all," He smiled. "To love and friendship." Everyone chuckled at how cheesy it sounded, but they all knew what he meant and agreed with him.

"Cheers!" They said in unison.

That night, Jade lay on Beck's shoulder, his arm wrapped securely around her. They were resting on his bed silently, enjoying the rest of their Valentine's Day. "I love you, Jadelyn," Beck said seriously, looking down at her.

"I love you, too, Beckett," She smiled up at him and kissed him, clasping her hand in his while they loved on each other.

**A/N: Yeah, I know the end was a bit cheesy. Hope it was enjoyable, though. 4+ reviews on this chapter till update! Thanks for the wonderful reviews so far! :)**


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter Thirteen **

Jade began her next cycle of chemotherapy in late March, and it was the worst yet. She was back in the hospital by early April. But this time, she was in severe pain. "Beck, give me some pain relievers or something!" She complained to her Canadian beau one day.

"They won't let you, baby," He said dejectedly. His girlfriend had been hurting emotionally and physically all this time in her hospital bed. He wanted nothing more than to take her burden away, but the doctors wouldn't let her take any pain medication because they had to see if her pain changed over time.

"But it hurts," She groaned. Beck looked at her sympathetically.

"I'm so sorry, sweetie," He kissed her cheek. "All I want is to help, you know?" She turned to look at him and nodded slowly before clutching her stomach tightly.

"Oh, I think I'm gonna puke again," She warned. Beck immediately stood up and called a nurse in. The nurse came in and led the girl to the bathroom, where she threw up once again. She returned and lay back on the white hospital bed, closing her eyes.

Soon, she was sleeping the best that she had in days. Beck stayed and watched his girlfriend's chest go up and down. He savored the moment of her not being in pain and actually resting.

He knew that in a couple hours she would wake up and go through the same stuff over again. She would ask him what was going to happen to her, and he would have to lie to her, telling her that everything would be alright. But the truth was he didn't know what was going to happen to his poor girlfriend.

**A/N: I almost hate myself for having Jade go through so much pain. But, you know. Cancer sucks. :( 4+ reviews for Chapter Fourteen which contains a little Cade drama. **


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter Fourteen**

The summer months flew by faster than any other season. Jade couldn't be in the sun for very long, so the frequent beach trips the gang used to take every summer were a thing of the past. Jade spent most of time indoors, watching horror flicks and reading magazines. Cat's constant begging to take her to the pool was met with snapping on Jade's part, resulting in a teary eyed redhead. Of course Jade apologized every time. The last person she wanted to take her problems out on was little innocent Cat Valentine. Sometimes she did take it too far, though.

"Cat!" The pale girl screamed at the top of lungs. "Just shut up, okay?! Shut up!" Cat immediately stopped talking about her brother and burst into tears. The tiny girl ran from the room, leaving a disappointed Beck and an exhausted Jade who immediately regretted her actions. "Wait, Cat," She called, knowing that her friend wasn't in earshot anymore.

"Why'd you have to do that?" Beck asked with a little irritation in his voice.

"I don't know, I just…" Jade didn't finish her answer. She followed after Cat to try and make things right. She found the redhead sitting on a swing in her favorite park a few blocks away from Jade's house. "Cat…" Jade slowly approached the crying girl. "Cat, I'm sorry for yelling at you."Cat continued to sob. "Cat, please forgive me."

"I forgive you, Jadey," Cat finally spoke up. "I don't forgive myself, though."

"Why in the world would you not forgive yourself? You didn't do anything wrong."

"Yeah, I did," Cat looked up at her friend. "I'm always doing things wrong. You're already unhappy enough and I just make you sadder." Jade slowly knelt down next to Cat and pulled her close.

"Cat, don't say that," She told her. "You don't make me sad. You make me really happy. It's my fault that I get mad like that, not yours."

"I… I just want you to be happy, Jadey," Cat whimpered. Jade hugged the petite girl tightly. She didn't know exactly how to respond, because Cat was exactly right. She wasn't happy at all.

"I'll tell you what," She looked into Cat's eyes. "I'll try my very best to be happy, if you try your very best to keep being your happy self." Cat grinned.

"Deal."

**A/N: Hey guysss! Um, is anyone else like super excited for the Victorious episode called "Opposite Date" on Saturday? I am! It seems like it's gonna be a Cade focused episode so I can't wait! Also, Saturday is my fourteenth birthday. So, makes it even more amazing, right? Anyways, I'll update when I get 4+ reviews on this chapter. :)  
**


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter Fifteen **

The doctors told Jade she had to have a bone marrow transplant in order to live. The chemotherapy became strong enough to kill her if she didn't get one. Only one of her friends had the same blood type as her, Cat. Little Caterina Valentine spoke in a small voice to Jade. "I'll give you some of my blood, Jadey." Jade took Cat's hand in hers.

"Thank you, baby girl," she smiled. Cat managed a smile of her own and hugged her friend. The rest of them felt bad because they knew the little redhead had no idea what she was going to go through. They would have to comfort her enough to get her through her first surgery.

"Cat, listen to me," Tori looked Cat in the eye. It was the day she would have her surgery. "Everything's going to be alright." Cat nodded and her eyes watered. She was beginning to fear what was going to happen. But she tried her best to be brave for Jade. Because what she did know was that it was time to repay Jade for all the years of Jade coming in to save her. Now it was time to save Jade.

"I know, Tori," Cat smiled softly at her friend. "I'm going to be okay. But most importantly, Jadey's going to be okay." Tori just smiled and pulled Cat in for a hug. The nurse came in and told them they were going to prepare for the surgery. Cat took a deep breath and followed the lady.

The surgery took a couple hours. The gang waited anxiously to see their cute little friend again. Beck prayed they gave her enough of the anesthesia. He was sure they did, but he couldn't help but worry. The last thing he needed was for Cat to get hurt. She had always been, in a way, like his kid sister. And he needed her around just as much as he needed Jade and the rest of his friends.

Finally, the surgery was over and they were granted entrance to Cat's room. "Hey, Lil' Red," Andre greeted softly.

"Hi," Cat said hoarsely. Robbie rubbed her shoulder affectionately.

"How are you feeling?" He asked.

"Okay, I guess," The exhausted girl responded. "Are they going to give my blood to Jadey now?" Beck grinned and nodded.

"They sure are." He received a tired smile from the girl.

"C-can I have some ice cream?" She asked shyly. The whole gang laughed at her eagerness.

"How about later, kiddo?" Beck suggested.

"Fine," Cat sighed. "Can I see Jade?"

"Sure," Tori said nicely. Beck gently lifted Cat off the bed and carried her to Jade's room with the rest. "We brought you a visitor," Tori said when Jade looked over at her friends.

"Hey," the cancer patient greeted, seeing Cat in Beck's arms.

"Hi, Jadey," Cat whispered in her ear when Beck laid her down next to his girlfriend.

"Hi," Jade smiled at the petite girl who was snuggling into her side. "How do you feel?"

"I feel good," Cat responded then coughed loudly.

"You sure?" Jade said unsure of her friend's condition.

"Uh huh, as long as you are," Cat looked up at her and grinned. Jade used all her strength to wrap her arm around Cat and stroked her hair. Five minutes later, the redhead was sound asleep against Jade's shoulder.


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter Sixteen**

After her bone marrow transplant, Jade was devastatingly tired all the time. She had a hard time finding the energy to walk and eventually had to be in a wheel chair in order to get around. Beck made it his personal mission to always be with her to take her where she needed to go. She became extremely self conscious of her appearance. Her skin was paler than ever and her eyes drooped from exhaustion. Beck did his best to distract her from it. "Baby, nobody's looking at you," He leaned down and whispered into her ear.

"Yes, they are, Beck," She responded as she glanced at the strangers who quickly turned their backs as if they weren't staring at her. Jade's eyes filled with tears.

"No, baby, it's okay," He knelt down next to her. "You're fine." He kissed her cheek. "You're fine," He repeated.

"I don't wanna do this anymore," She said tiredly.

"Jade, look at me, sweetheart," Beck said firmly. She just turned away trying to hide her tears. He slipped his hand under her chin and tilted her pale face towards his. "I love you so much. And I know it's hard. But, baby, this life isn't supposed to be easy. Still, I'm gonna be here. I'm not gonna leave you. Understand?" Jade nodded slowly. Beck kissed her lips gently. She let her face sink into his shoulder and cried softly while he rubbed her back.

**A/N: Reviews make my day, just so you know. :)**


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter Seventeen**

Everyone had hoped that Jade was going to be much better after the bone marrow transplant. Their expectations were met with the exact opposite, though. The nausea Jade began enduring caused her to not be able to eat at all. Everything that went down her throat came back up. She was losing weight rapidly, and they all noticed it.

Finally, she went in for a CT scan and was told the worst thing since the day she had been diagnosed with cancer in the first place.

She had relapsed. The bone marrow transplant hadn't worked, and the leukemia was back. Beck, Jade, and everyone else had to realize that all the things she had been through were for nothing. Nothing at all.

"God, how can this get any worse?" She broke down on the car ride home. "How?!"

"Jade…" Beck began.

"No, Beck! Don't you dare start telling me how everything's gonna be okay. 'Cause it's not! Nothing will _ever _be okay again! The chances of me being cured are twenty out of one hundred! How is that okay?!" She screamed at him, tears streaming down her face. Beck let a tear roll down his face as he stared at the road ahead, trying to find words to say.

"Baby, I don't know what's going to happen," He said. "But I know you can do this. You can." Jade opened her mouth to protest, but Beck didn't let her. "It doesn't matter whether there's a twenty percent chance or a ninety percent chance. That's a chance we have to take anyway. We can't give up. _You _can't give up." She stared at him, looking into his brown eyes that were gleaming with tears. He had stopped the car on the side of the road. Suddenly, He leaned in and kissed her in a way he hadn't for months. And months could've been all they had left at that point.

**A/N: Depressing, I know... :(**


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter Eighteen**

"Jadey! Jadey!" Cat came bounding into Jade's bedroom, where Jade was lying in bed enjoying a good book. Cat's high voice was like a knife in Jade's ears because of the chemotherapy she had just gone through.

"Shh!" Jade hissed. Cat's face fell and she whimpered.

"Sorry…" She apologized.

"It's okay," Jade said gently. "What are you doing here?"

"Beck dropped me off," Cat answered enthusiastically. "He went to the grocery store and I wanted to come with him but he said I couldn't because I always beg him for toys and he doesn't have enough money to waste on stuffed animals even though I really wanted another giraffe to go with my collection but he kept say-"

"Cat," Jade cut her off. "I get it." Cat just smiled shyly and sat down on the bed next to Jade.

"Whatcha doing?"

"Reading."

"Oh, that's… that's cool…" Cat didn't like to read much unless it was a children's book, which pretty much all the books she owned were. Jade put the book down and smiled at her childlike friend.

"Wanna do something fun?"

"Sure!" The redhead said eagerly. Jade laughed a little before slowly getting out from under the covers. She pulled Cat into her arms and held her on her lap.

"But first I need to tell you something," Jade said seriously.

"Whaty?" Cat tilted her head to the side. Jade looked into the girl's big brown eyes.

"No matter what happens, I want you to always be strong and brave. Promise?"

"Yeah, but nothing's gonna happen… right?" Cat asked, looking for reassurance.

"I don't know, Cat," Jade told her the truth. "But no matter what, you're gonna be okay." Cat nodded slowly before hugging her older friend.

"I love you, Jadey," She mumbled into Jade's shoulder.

"I love you too, baby girl," Jade responded, and squeezed Cat tightly. "Do you want to play Candyland?" She asked once Cat pulled away.

"Yeah!" Cat scrambled out of the bed and pulled Jade up, who chuckled and pulled out her dusty Candyland game.

**A/N: Wow, I can't believe I'm actually 14 today. :O Hope you guys liked this chap! :)**


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter Nineteen**

Jade was back in the hospital again. She had stopped counting the visits a while ago. All she knew now was that her life was a rollercoaster of sickness and empty hope. Her friends tried to keep her spirits up, but it was hard. The only people who could truly make her smile were Beck and Cat. Beck's gentle touch always made her feel warm inside, and Cat's antics made her smile even at her worst moments.

The weather was chilly on November 13th, 2012. Tori, Beck, Andre, Robbie, and Cat were all sitting in Jade's hospital room. She had been falling in and out of sleep for the last couple hours. They were all becoming anxious and wondering what was going to happen this time. Their patience was wearing thin. Cat was being held together by a thread the entire time, and finally she broke down. "I don't like this!" She cried. "I don't want to be here! I don't want Jadey to be here! I want to go home and make Jade better again!" Her pleas were that of a small child, and her friends couldn't console her any longer. To their surprise, Jade was the first to speak up.

"Cat, it's okay," She assured with a hoarse voice. "Come here." She looked at Beck, giving him the order to place Cat next to him. Beck lifted Cat and laid her next to Jade on the bed. Cat cuddled close to Jade looking for comfort. Jade wrapped her arm around her and whispered calming things into the redhead's ear. In less than five minutes, Cat was sound asleep. The rest of them watched the little girl sleep next to Jade, who eventually fell asleep also.

"Robbie," Beck finally spoke up. The curly headed boy looked at him.

"What?"

"I need you to take Cat home now," Beck told him. Robbie had a surprised look on his face.

"What? No! I'm not leaving," He protested.

"Robbie!" Beck yelled. His emotions were heating up inside. "Just take her!"

"Why don't you?" Robbie argued.

"Because I have to stay here with my girlfriend! Now just go and-"

"Guys!" Tori intervened. "Just stop! Stop it okay?" Beck sighed and rubbed his bald head that he shaved once a month.

"Look, I'm sorry, Rob," He apologized.

"I-I am too," Robbie said softly. He rubbed his nose and walked over to the bed. "I'll take her to my house."

"Thanks," Beck said as he watched Robbie pick up the sleeping Cat. He shifted her in his arms and began to carry her out of the white room.

"I'll pick her up later," Tori promised. Robbie just nodded in understanding. He walked out to his car and managed to open the car door with one hand. He laid the small girl across the backseat and got into the driver's seat. He did his best to hold back his tears as he drove.

**A/N: Thanks for all the birthday wishes, guys! I had an awesome day. :)**


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter Twenty**

It was about twenty minutes after Robbie had left with Cat. Tori and Andre had gone to the cafeteria. Jade had been asleep for almost an hour. Beck was sitting by her with his forehead pressed to her hand. After a few more moments, a small groan came from the weak girl's mouth. "Beck?" The tan boy immediately looked up.

"Hey," He smiled. "How are you doing?"

"I don't… I don't know," She croaked out. She squinted as she looked around the brightly lit room. "Did I fall asleep?" Beck nodded and kissed her pale hand. Jade looked to where she remembered Cat had been. "Where's Cat?"

"Um, Robbie took her to his house," Beck responded. Jade looked disappointed.

"Oh," She breathed. She laid her head back and groaned again.

"You okay?" Beck asked in a concerned tone.

"I'm just… so tired…" She said. Before Beck could offer her reassurance, the doctor came in.

"Mr. Oliver?" He spoke.

"Yes sir?"

"Can I speak with you please?" The man asked. Beck nodded and followed him out of the room.

"How's she doing, Doctor?" He instantly questioned.

"Not good…" The doctor looked down at his clipboard.

"What do you mean?" Beck asked frantically. "Can't you do something? She's come so far!"

"I know, son. I'm sorry, but we've tried everything."

"So what now?" Beck's voice broke a little. "Is she… is she gonna die?" The middle aged man put a hand on Beck's shoulder.

"I'm sorry, kid. I am," He said sympathetically. Beck just stared at him wide eyed, trying to register the facts. Finally, he turned around and walked back into the room. He knelt next to the bed and bowed his head.

"What is it?" Jade asked. Beck looked up with teary eyes and that said it all. "No… no… please no!" She gasped, letting a tear roll down her cheek. Beck wiped it away with his thumb.

"Shh… shh... It's okay, baby, it's okay."

"Beck…" She said softly. "You have to promise me two things."

"Anything."

"Promise me you'll take care of Cat. And please, please don't you ever forget about me," She choked out through tears.

"I swear."

"Beck…" She looked at him with desperate eyes. "This can't be happening. Please…"

"Shh, sweetie," Beck stroked her face and leaned in close. "Come on, baby, with me, we're gonna fly away from here," He sung in a whisper to her. Jade lay there, taking in her last breaths. She turned to him again.

"I… I love you, Beck," She said in a heartbreaking, small voice. "I really do."

"I know you do," He kissed her hand. "I love you too. More than anything."

"Can you just… kiss me one more time?" She requested. Beck stood up and hovered over his girlfriend, kissing her almost white lips gently. She closed her eyes. He sat back down and for the next few moments just watched her and listened to the rhythmic beeps of the heart monitor, not knowing what else to do or say.

Forty seven seconds later, the Canadian boy was startled by the longer note held on the machine. He noticed that Jade's chest was no longer moving. Looking at the monitor, he saw that instead of constant zigzags, there was only a straight line across the screen. The girl in front of him was motionless and peaceful. Beck cried.

**A/N: I know, I know. You're probably going to curse me out in the reviews. But please don't stop reading the story! This isn't the end! I promise there's still a handful of enjoyable chapters left. Also, the song he sang to her is from a song by Taylor Swift called "Ronan." It's a heartbreaking song about a little boy who had cancer and died. :(  
**


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter Twenty One**

Beck slowly made his way into the hospital waiting room where Andre and Tori were sitting. Andre looked up at him. "Well?" He asked anxiously. Beck didn't answer.

"Beck?" Tori tried.

"Sh-she's gone," Beck finally spoke. "She's gone…" Tori gasped while Andre buried his face in his hands.

"No…" Tori whispered. Beck just nodded slowly at her, a tear rolling down his already wet, tired face.

"She's gone," He repeated. "She's dead and couldn't do anything. I couldn't stop her from leaving." Tori put a hand on his back.

"Beck, I-" Tori began, only to be cut off by her friend.

"She's dead! She just died and I couldn't do a damn thing about it!" Beck screamed. The other people in the waiting room stared in shock. Beck looked around, crying rivers. Suddenly, he ran out of the room. He ran out of the building. He ran into the parking lot. He just kept running.

Andre immediately took off after him, leaving Tori to cry by herself. Andre caught up with Beck in the park where Beck and Jade had met in eighth grade so many years ago. Andre had to think fast as he saw Beck lift the gun to his temple. "No! Beck, stop!"

**A/N: Got a bit of a cliffy here for you. :\ **


	22. Chapter 22

**Chapter Twenty Two**

"Beck, you can't do this!" Andre screamed at his best friend. Beck was restrained under Andre after being tackled to the ground. The pistol lay a few feet away from them. The Canadian instantly burst into tears.

"It's over, man!" He cried. "It's over! She's gone!"

"No, it's not!" Andre argued. "You can't just give up like that! Do you think that's what she would've wanted? Huh?!"

"She gave up on me!"

"No, she didn't! She didn't give up! And that's because you were there to help her! She stayed strong because of you, Beckett Oliver!" Beck didn't respond. He just lay there taking in Andre's words.

"I just want her back…" He sobbed after Andre finally got off of him.

"I know," Andre said while his own eyes watered. "We all do." Beck sat on the ground and violently ripped out grass. Finally, he looked up at Andre.

"How the hell are we supposed to tell Robbie and Cat?" He inquired. "Especially Cat."

"Well," Andre began looking for an answer to that question. "I guess we just have to make it as easy as possible for them."

"But it's not easy, Andre," Beck shot back. "It isn't easy losing Jade." Andre pulled him into a tight hug.

"I know, man. I know."

**A/N: Okay, guys. It's Fall Break for me now, and I'm going on vacation and I won't be able to update until I get back on Sunday. But I made sure to update this morning before I leave so you guys won't be wondering what happened. Enjoy! :)**


	23. Chapter 23

**Chapter Twenty Three**

Andre drove Beck to Robbie's house, where Tori's car was already parked in the driveway. He pulled up beside the house and looked at his depressed friend. "No offense, man. But I don't think it'll help if you go in looking like that." Beck wiped his red-rimmed eyes with the sleeve of his shirt.

"I know." When he finally cleaned up and looked the best that he could manage, he opened the car door and got out. The front door opened to reveal Tori.

"Hey, Beck," She greeted gently.

"D-did you tell them yet?" Beck asked her.

"I told Robbie; he's taking it pretty hard," She answered. "But Cat's been asleep for a while."

"Oh," Beck exhaled. He was relieved that Cat didn't know yet. He felt more comfortable telling her himself. He padded over to the couch and shook the tiny girl awake gently. "Cat," He whispered into her ear. "Cat, wake up, please." Cat awoke and stretched her arms in the air.

"Hi, Beck," She yawned.

"Cat, listen to me," Beck told her. "I need to tell you something."

"Whaty?" Cat tilted her head to the side.

"J-Jade," Beck bit back tears, trying to stay strong for his naive friend. "Jade's not here anymore…" To his surprise, the redhead broke out into a giggle.

"Yes she is, silly," She said while poking his stomach. "She's right-" She looked confused when she realized that they were no longer at the hospital. "Where are we?"

"We're at Robbie's house, Cat," Tori said from a few feet away.

"Cat," Beck continued. "Jade passed away."

"Huh?" Cat didn't believe what she had been told. "J-Jadey is really gone?" The redhead whimpered. Beck watched her eyes brim with tears as he nodded to confirm. "No… No!" Cat suddenly stood up. "She's not dead! You're lying!"

"Cat, I'm not ly-" Beck was cut off by more of Cat's accusations.

"You're a liar! Jadey's not dead!" Cat began to punch Beck's stomach. Beck hardly felt a thing and let the tiny girl keep attempting to hurt him. Eventually, she grew tired and collapsed against his body. Beck wrapped his arms around her and kissed the top of her head.

"Shh," He soothed. "You're okay. You're okay." He rubbed her back as she sobbed into his shirt.

"I want Jadey!" She cried.

"I know," He mumbled into her fiery hair. "I do, too."

**A/N: I'm back! :) **


	24. Chapter 24

**Chapter Twenty Four**

The next few days were a drag for everyone. Beck helped plan the funeral with Jade's aunt and uncle who were the only relatives that she had a somewhat good relationship with. Cat was found in Jade's bedroom many a time talking to herself, even though she swore it was Jade. "Cat, you need to come downstairs and eat something," Tori said, standing in the doorway of Jade's black room.

"I don't wanna," Cat pouted. "Me and Jadey are having fun." Tori sighed helplessly and approached Cat, who was sitting on the carpet. The Latina sat down next to her friend.

"Cat, Jade isn't here anymore," She said softly.

"Yes, she is!" Cat argued. "See, these are her favorite scissors." She picked up the pair of black scissors that she had given Jade on Christmas a year ago. "Oh, sorry, Jadey. You can have them back." Tori reached out and took the scissors from Cat.

"Cat, Jade's not in here."

"Stop it, Tori!" Cat raised her voice. "You're making her mad. She just threatened to cut your ear off!" Tori was amazed at how well Cat was imagining Jade being there with her. That was indeed something Jade would say. If only Jade _were_ there to criticize her again.

"Cat, you can't keep doing this," Tori told the stubborn redhead. "Jade's not here." Cat just covered her ears and began to shake her head.

"No! No!" She cried. "Just leave me alone!" Tori pulled Cat into a hug and held her as Cat finally released tears. Tori whispered soothing words into Cat's ear until she finally fell asleep in Tori's arms. She lifted Cat onto Jade's bed and pulled the covers up over the sleeping girl. Tori gently placed Jade's scissors back in the display case the Goth girl had always kept them in.


	25. Chapter 25

**Chapter Twenty Five**

"Hello, miss. May I help you find something?" A female clerk approached Tori and Cat. They were in the ladies section of a department store.

"Um, actually-" Tori began only to be cut off by the peppy employee.

"Oh, here's a pretty dress. You'd look like a doll in this!" She exclaimed, holding a pink, flowery dress out to Cat. The redhead scooted closer to Tori with a sad expression on her face. The lady gave her a confused look.

"Uh, we're not here to buy... that," Tori explained. "We're looking for clothes to wear to a funeral." The worker's face burned red with embarrassment.

"I-I'm sorry... I didn't know," She said softly.

"It's okay," Tori smiled weakly, then walked away with Cat to continue looking around the store.

Jade's funeral was held exactly seventeen days after her passing. Of course, Beck, Andre, Cat, Tori, and Robbie were there along with most of the students and staff from Hollywood Arts and some of Jade's relatives. Beck and the others were wearing black suits and dresses except for Cat, who wore a navy blue sweater and black skinny jeans. Cat clung to Beck's side as the preacher spoke in a somewhat monotone voice. "We all are mourning the death of our beloved Jadelyn August West, who left us on November 13th. This brave girl fought leukemia for a little over a year. Her struggle for victory over this horrible disease was a tough one, as many of her loved ones know," The preacher spoke while looking over at Beck and the others.

Beck stared at Jade's black coffin while the minister continued. He could feel Cat shaking and saw Tori crying silently out of the corner of his eye. He himself began to tear up as he remembered everything about his girlfriend. All her beauty and all her perfect little imperfections. He reached into his pants pocket and felt the leather necklace that she used to wear all the time, the one with the gold circle that matched his own.

"Jade will live on with us in our memory forever," The preacher finished. They all watched as the coffin was lifted and placed in the ground. Beck remembered a horror movie they had watched and how Jade's favorite scene was when a girl got buried alive. Of course, she wasn't being buried alive. She shouldn't be being buried at all, anyway.

"Jadey?" Cat gasped as she looked up to see Jade's coffin disappearing. It was as if she expected them to keep her there. "What are they doing, Beck?"

"You know what they're doing, Cat. They're burying her," Beck answered. Cat whimpered and held onto him tighter.

"Bye, Jadey…" She mumbled while waving to the coffin. Beck was saying the same in his own mind.

**A/N: Keeeeeep reeeeeading! :)**


	26. Chapter 26

**Chapter Twenty Six**

When the funeral was over, people started to walk back to their cars. Cat started bawling into Beck's suit and he didn't really know what to do. He lifted the lightweight girl up like a toddler and held her on his hip. "Hey," He whispered. "It'll be okay."

"How?" She sniffled.

"She's going to a better place," He assured her.

"You mean Heaven?"

"Uh huh," Beck nuzzled his nose with hers. Cat giggled a little for the first time since Jade died.

"Do you think she'll like it? I don't think there's much darkness in Heaven," Cat said innocently.

"I'm sure it'll turn out okay for her," Beck said. "She is, after all, an angel… like you." Cat grinned wildly at the thought of being an angel. Before she could start talking more about Heaven and angels, a very serious looking man approached them.

"Beck Oliver?" He spoke.

"Yes sir?" Beck asked in a confused manner. The man looked at Cat in Beck's arms.

"Um, can we speak alone for a minute?" He said. Beck nodded and put Cat down. He looked at Tori for assistance and she immediately complied. She took Cat's hand and led her away from Beck and the man.

"May I ask who you are?" Beck looked at the tall man when they were standing alone.

"I… I'm Jade's father," The man said somewhat nervously.

"Y-you're Jade's… father?" Beck was completely surprised. He knew Jade had always had a horrible relationship with her father after her mother passed away when she was a child. The man nodded.

"My daughter," Mr. West began. "Although we never got along very well, she still meant a lot to me…" Beck listened intently at the man's words. "I'm glad she was able to have a nice young man in her life like you."

"Uh," Beck racked his brain for words. "Thanks."

"She really wanted to go to Julliard after high school," Jade's father continued. Beck nodded; he knew that was always Jade's dream school. "I was going to pay for her admission. But now that… now that… well… I would like to pay for your admission to college." Beck was at a loss for words.

"Thanks. Thank you so much, sir," Beck smiled. "That means a lot." The man nodded again.

"Well," He exhaled. "It was nice to finally meet you, young man. Thank you for taking care of my daughter. I know she loved you a lot."

"You're… you're welcome, sir," Beck shook the man's hand and watched as he walked away in his expensive attire. That man was the last person he expected to talk to him that day.


	27. Chapter 27

**Chapter Twenty Seven**

"_Kitty Cat! Kitty Cat!" The girls chanted in her face._

"_Please stop it," Caterina Valentine begged as she huddled farther into the corner._

"_Aw," One of the girls said sarcastically. "Poor Kitty Cat is sad." The little girl buried her face in her knees, trying to block them out._

"_Hey," A harsh voice called. Caterina looked up to see a tall, brown haired girl glaring at the tormentors. "Leave her alone," She demanded. The girls smirked at her and walked away, giggling and snorting in their clique. The heroine turned and looked at the small girl still huddled in against the brick wall. "You okay?" Caterina nodded timidly. The older girl held her hand out. "Well, get up," She ordered. Caterina took her hand and stood up, brushing the dirt off her pink dress. "Do you even talk?" The brunette asked._

"_Uh huh," Caterina nodded. "I love to talk, almost as much as I love to play with my Barbie Dolls. I have lots of Barbies. My brother got me a new one last year and it came with a really pretty dress. I named her Lucy and she-" _

"_Stop," The other girl demanded._

"_Okay," She sighed and looked down at the ground. "Thanks for making them go away."_

"_Whatever," The brunette deadpanned. "What's your name?"_

"_Caterina Valentine." _

"_I'm gonna call you Cat," The pale girl stated. "I'm Jade. Jadelyn, really. But call me Jade."_

"_Okay, Jade!" Cat giggled._

"_So do they bully you a lot?" Jade asked, a bit of concern in her voice. Cat nodded and looked down again. "Well, don't worry. They won't anymore," Jade assured her. "I'll make sure they don't." _

"_Really? So we're friends?"_

"_Yeah, I guess," Jade shrugged. _

"_Yay!" The redhead squealed and threw herself around her new friend. _

Cat woke up in her bed. It was about two in the morning. She looked around and found her friendship bracelet that matched the one Jade had. They made them when they were in fifth grade. Cat felt the leather pink band and began to cry softly. "I miss you, Jadey…"


	28. Chapter 28

**Chapter Twenty Eight**

"_Promise me you'll take care of Cat"_

Those words went through Beck's mind as he struggled to live without Jade. He knew he had to keep his word. He had to be there for Cat. But he was slowly slipping into obliviousness. He spent hours just sitting at a table in Jade's favorite coffee shop, or in the Blackbox Theatre staring at the stage and imagining his first love singing with her amazing voice. He avoided all his friends, even Cat. As Cat was too naïve and helpless to be left alone, Tori, Andre, and Robbie took turns spending time with her, doing whatever they could to keep her spirits up.

Beck was sitting on his couch dozing off when the doorbell rang. He opened the door to find Tori with a dejected looking Cat. "Hey," He greeted with no emotion whatsoever.

"Hi, Beck," Cat said. He didn't even bother to smile at her, even though he knew he should have.

"Beck, can I talk to you?" Tori requested.

"Sure, why not?" The Canadian motioned for them to come in. They left Cat sitting on the couch and went into the kitchen. "Do you need something?" Beck asked with a hint of irritation in his voice.

"Yeah," Tori spoke. "Listen, I know you're not feeling well and all, but you haven't hung out with Cat in a long time, and she's been wanting you to. And you've barely talked to any of us."

"Look, Tori," Beck sighed. "I'm sorry. You just don't understand. I-"

"Maybe I don't understand you, Beck. But I know that Cat needs you. You have to help take care of her, too."

"She's not a child, Tori!" He raised his voice a little. Tori had a shocked expression on her face as she glanced at Cat to see if she heard.

"You're right, she's not a child," The brunette admitted softly. "But right now she can't take care of herself anymore than a child can. She needs _you_, Beck." Beck ran his fingers through his hair that he was growing out again.

"What do you want me to do?"

"Just show her that you still care," Tori begged. "You do care, don't you?"

"Of course I do. It's just that…" Beck's voice trailed off as he tried not to cry. "Listen, I'll try harder, okay?"

"Thank you," Tori smiled a little. Beck exhaled and headed back to the living room. He sat down on the couch next to his redheaded friend.

"Hey, kiddo."

"Hi," Cat smiled shyly at him.

"When was the last time you had an ice cream cone?" Beck asked.

"I don't know… Why?"

"Well, I just thought maybe you'd like to go get one with me," Beck grinned. Cat's eyes widened.

"Really?" She asked excitedly. Beck nodded. The redhead squealed and hugged the Canadian boy. "Yay! Come on, let's go!" She got up and attempted to pull him up by his arm. When he felt like it would come out of its socket, he stood up.

"Okay, okay," He laughed. "Let's go."

**A/N: Reviews are really nice to read. :)**


	29. Chapter 29

**Chapter Twenty Nine**

"Just calm down, Cat," Tori told her excited friend who was bouncing in the seat next to her.

"Yeah, Lil' Red," Andre added. "Don't worry. We'll be there soon.

"Can we get cotton candy and ice cream and sodas?" Cat asked on the edge of her seat.

"Um," Tori looked at Beck uncertainly.

"Sure we can, Cat," Beck answered with a smile. They were on their way to the carnival.

When they arrived, Cat hopped out of the car and ran to the ticket booth. "Cat!" Tori called. "Come back here." Cat sighed and trudged back to the group.

"I wanna go in!" She whined impatiently.

"Hold on," Beck said while digging in his pockets. "Uh oh, I think I might've forgotten my wallet." Cat gasped and her eyes began to water. Beck laughed and ruffled her hair. "I'm just joking, Cat." He pulled his worn out leather wallet out to show her. "Now, let's go."

After two hours of sugar, games, and Ferris wheel rides, the gang was getting tired. "Come on, Cat," Tori gestured to Cat. "It's time to go."

"No!" Cat objected, startling Tori a little. "We have to wait for Jade!" Tori thought she was hearing things wrong.

"Who?"

"Jade! She's in the bathroom," Cat pointed to the port-a-potty. "We have to wait for her."

"Cat…" Tori said in a concerned tone. "Let's go." She was hoping she could snap Cat out of it. She tried to take her hand, but the redhead stepped back.

"No!"

"What's going on?" Andre said as he approached with Robbie and Beck.

"I think she's imagining things again," Tori whispered to them.

"Cat," Beck said firmly. "You need to come on with us." Cat shook her head.

"No!" She repeated once again, crossing her arms. "Not until Jadey comes out."

"Cat, stop," Beck said. He couldn't let her do this again. Cat's eyes began to tear up and people were staring at the scene she was causing. Cat saw the seriousness in all her friends' eyes and began to hyperventilate. Suddenly, she turned around and ran. Beck immediately caught up with her and wrapped his arm around her waist, lifting her off the ground.

"Let me go!" She screamed as she kicked Beck's legs. Beck ignored the pain and carried the crying girl away from the crowd. Finally, he got back to the car with Cat and the rest of the group. Cat gave up trying to break from his grasp and went limp in the older boy's arms. No one said anything as the redhead sobbed into his chest.

By the time they arrived at Tori's house after dropping Andre and Robbie off, Cat had cried herself to sleep. Beck carried her inside and laid her on Tori's bed. "Maybe we should take her to see a psychologist," Tori suggested. Beck nodded in agreement.

"I'll set up an appointment for tomorrow I guess," He said, looking at their sleeping friend. "I just can't stand to see her like this. All… broken."

"Me neither," Tori sighed.

**A/N: I know you probably think I'm like torturing Cat here, but all this sadness if for a reason. Trust me. **


	30. Chapter 30

**Chapter Thirty**

Beck sat in the waiting room of Dr. Mancy's office waiting for Tori to show up with Cat. He was starting to get nervous about whether Cat would cooperate or not. Ten minutes before the appointment was scheduled, the girls walked in. "Hey," Beck waved.

"Hiii!" Cat sang. She plopped herself down in Beck's lap. Tori yawned and sat down next to Beck. Cat looked around and observed her surroundings. "Where are we?"

"Um, we're at a really nice man's office," Beck answered, being careful not to mention the word 'doctor' to her.

"Why?"

"Well, the man is really friendly and nice. He's going to ask you some questions," Beck explained.

"What kind of questions?" Cat prodded innocently.

"I don't really know," Beck told her the truth. "But everything will be fine. Just trust me, okay?" Cat nodded and began scouring the room. She found an American Girl Doll magazine and spent the next few minutes looking through it. Finally, a middle-aged man entered the room.

"Caterina Valentine?" He called.

"That's me!" Cat said happily. Beck nodded and patted her leg to get her to stand up.

"Please come with me," Dr. Mancy motioned to her. Cat followed him into his office, glancing back at her friends, who each gave her a reassuring smile.

Twenty minutes later, the redhead reappeared with the doctor. "Beck, I'd like to speak to you now," Mancy requested. Beck nodded and entered the room with him. He sat down in one of the cushioned chairs across from the older man.

"So…" Beck spoke. "Is something wrong with her?"

"Well," The doctor exhaled. "The death of your girlfriend has been a traumatic experience for her." Beck nodded in agreement. "It seems like that, in order to cope, she has created a fantasy world in which Jade is still alive."

"But she only acts like that sometimes," Beck stated.

"Yes," Dr. Mancy agreed. "And that's good, but she can't keep having these episodes. It will only hurt her more. She has to face the unfortunate reality."

"I understand."

"Good. So I'd like for her to get emotional therapy from a counselor," The doctor continued. "And I'm going to prescribe her some pills. She needs to take one every four hours."

"Okay," Beck responded. "Is that all?"

"Mhm," The doctor nodded. "I'll also need to see her once every two months, just to check up on her."

"Okay, that sounds good," Beck stood up slowly. "Thank you, sir." He shook the doctor's hand and went back to Tori and Cat.

"Beck!" Cat greeted. "You're back!"

"Yeah, I am," Beck smiled.

"So?" Tori asked.

"We'll talk later," Beck answered, avoiding getting Cat riled up. Tori nodded in understanding.

"I'm hungry!" Cat whined, rubbing her stomach.

"Me too," Beck imitated her. "What do you say we go get some pancakes at the Breakfast Club?" Cat grinned and nodded wildly at him. Tori smiled and stood up. "Okay, let's go then," Beck chuckled.

**A/N: I'm going to be posting a fluffy Halloween-themed Catorade one-shot either today or tomorrow. :)  
**


	31. Chapter 31

**Chapter Thirty One**

"Come on, Cat," Tori coaxed. "Please just cooperate."

"No," Cat pouted.

"You have to, Cat."

"I don't wanna!" The redhead whined. Tori took a deep breath and tried again.

"Please, Cat?" Cat just shook her head. "Cat. I'm gonna have to call Beck if you don't take this pill," Tori said seriously. Cat looked away.

"I said I don't want to," The stubborn girl stomped her foot.

"Cat."

"No."

"Cat."

"No!" Cat screamed at the top of her lungs. She flew up the stairs, leaving an exhausted Tori behind. The Latina sighed and trudged up the staircase. She approached the doorway of her bedroom to find Cat hidden under the covers of her bed. Tori sat down next to her and rubbed the petite girl's back.

"Cat, it's okay," Tori whispered. To her surprise, the redhead immediately revealed herself from under the sheets.

"I just don't want to take those pills!" She whined.

"I know, baby girl, I know," Tori said softly, using the nickname Jade used to call Cat.

"Am I sick, Tori?" Cat asked, her eyes wide with worry.

"No, you're not sick, Cat," Tori told her. "You just need to take some medicine to make you feel better."

"But those pills are yucky!"

"Not if you drink some water when you swallow them," Tori said, hoping to persuade her.

"Okay…" Cat finally gave in.

"Good," Tori smiled. "Now come on. It'll only take a second." She led the tiny girl downstairs.


	32. Chapter 32

**Chapter Thirty Two**

A few weeks into taking her anxiety pills, Cat was beginning to get better. She was having fewer illusions and was more intact with reality. For the first time in a while, things seemed to be getting better.

Once a week, Beck would visit Jade's grave in the cemetery. He would kneel down in front of it and stare at the gray stone in the ground. _Jadelyn August West 1994 – 2012, _it read. Beck placed the single small rose next to it and wiped a lone tear from his eye. "I miss you, baby," He whispered. "Do… Do you know that?"

He sat in the grass for a few minutes in complete silence. He felt a hand tap his shoulder and turned around to see none other than Caterina Valentine. "Hi," She said quietly.

"Hey," Beck greeted, surprised and wondering why she was there. "What are you doing here, kiddo?"

"Um," Cat rocked back and forth on her heels. "I wanted to come see you. I figured you'd be here."

"Well, you were right," The Canadian boy smiled softly. "How did you get here?"

"I walked."

"Oh," Beck looked down. He was about to scold her for walking around town completely alone, but he stopped himself, knowing that she meant no harm, and she was safe anyway. The redhead stepped closer to him and rested her hands on his shoulder. "So, how have you been?" Beck asked looking up at her.

"Okay, I guess," She sighed. "Are you okay?" Beck thought for a minute. He wasn't thinking about how to answer Cat in a way that sounded good to her. He was thinking of the actual answer. How he actually felt, not some candy coated lie.

"Yeah…" He almost whispered. "I'm okay."

"Are _we_ okay?" Cat asked with her big brown eyes. Beck's own eyes began to tear up as he stared into her gaze.

"Yeah... We're okay." A smile formed on Cat's face as she leaned into hug him, almost making him fall back. Beck nuzzled his nose with her nose affectionately, receiving a giggle from the childish girl. And there was something about that giggle that made it different from all the other times she laughed. This giggle was real; it was genuine. It wasn't forced or fake, and neither was Beck's wide smile. It proved that they were indeed okay.

Beck glanced up at the blue, cloudless sky and watched as a single black bird flew across it, gliding by smoothly without a sound.

**A/N: Well, this is it. This was the last chapter of The Last Year. I hope you enjoyed the story as a whole. Thank you to all the followers and favoriters and reviewers! Your reviews were so sweet and encouraging and they made my day when I read them. It means a lot. Thank you! :)  
**

**To the fans of my other stories (i.e. Never Let Go and Car, Rain, Fire, and Jail): I have NOT given up on them! I promise I will post new chapters soon! I know you guys have probably been pissed at me for not updating in forever, and I'm sorry for that. I really am. I just have an all-over-the-place mind and I get new story ideas all the time, but now that this story is out of the way, I will focus on my "forgotten" ones.  
**


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